


Better

by silentdescant



Series: Babygirl [5]
Category: Pentatonix, Superfruit
Genre: Dom/sub Undertones, Gen, M/M, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 15:11:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8805727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silentdescant/pseuds/silentdescant
Summary: An interlude from Kevin's point of view.





	

When Kevin feels Mitch start to lean heavily against him, he automatically lifts his arm and lets Mitch curl into him. Mitch makes no attempt to join in the conversation with Annie and Lindsey, just sits quietly and rests his head against Kevin’s shoulder. He’s overly warm and so skinny Kevin can feel his bones, but he fits their bodies together so naturally that Kevin almost forgets he’s there. He’s not used to being on the receiving end of this kind of cuddling, and it takes him a while to realize Mitch’s head is lolling, like he’s about to fall asleep. He’s nuzzling Kevin a little bit, and it’s weird when Kevin thinks about it, but it doesn’t _feel_ strange at all. It feels nice, actually, but it’s definitely a signal that triggers Kevin’s protective instincts.

He pushes Mitch away, just enough so he can lean down and look Mitch in the eye. “You want me to find Scott?” he asks.

“Hmm?”

“You’re lookin’ pretty faded,” Kevin says. “Do you want me to find Scott?”

Mitch nods. The way he does it, the exaggerated up and down motion rather than just a quick dip of his head, makes him look about five years old, and Kevin’s protectiveness surges to the forefront again. He finds his water glass in the table littered with half-finished drinks and takes Mitch’s hand, presses the glass into his palm. He has to wrap Mitch’s fingers around it to make sure he has a solid hold.

“Drink this,” he says firmly. “I’ll be right back.”

He’s hesitant to leave, but Scott can’t be far. And sure enough, Kevin finds him across the bar, dancing and laughing with some of his friends on the fringes of the dance floor. He taps Scott’s sweaty shoulder and tugs him aside.

“I think Mitch is about ready to go home,” he says.

“What? Home? It’s still early.”

Kevin shrugs. “I don’t know, man, but he’s been clinging to me for like half an hour. At least let him cling to you.”

They make their way back to the booth and Kevin’s a little disappointed but not at all surprised to find the girls talking to each other and Mitch sitting across from them, leaned back in his seat, gnawing on the straw of the empty water glass. He brightens when he catches sight of Scott, and Kevin can’t claim to understand their relationship, but he approves of anything that makes Mitch light up like that.

Mitch smiles as he looks up at them, and when Scott leans down, Mitch wraps his arms around Scott’s neck. Scott pulls him up off the seat and Kevin can’t help but smile as Mitch sinks into Scott’s embrace.

“You wanna go already?” Scott asks, his tone soft even though he has to shout to be heard. “You haven’t been hanging out with all our friends.”

Mitch shrugs.

“You tired, baby?” Scott asks.

Mitch shrugs again and says, “I can go home alone if you want to stay.”

Mitch is one of the strongest people Kevin knows, but something about his body language tonight, his clinginess and his soft, quiet expressions, has Kevin on high alert. He doesn’t think Mitch should be alone tonight. Thankfully, Scott seems to clue in to the same vibe: he tightens his arms around Mitch’s back and shakes his head. All at once, he looks taller, his shoulders straightened and relaxed. He says, “Let’s go home and put you to bed, huh?”

Suddenly Mitch’s posture steadies too, and Kevin can feel his relief even from two feet away. Mitch buries his face in Scott’s neck before Kevin can see the expression of his response, but Scott meets Kevin’s gaze and mouths, _Thanks_.

Kevin walks them out of the bar, stands at Mitch’s side while they wait for their Uber. Scott’s arm is possessively curled around Mitch’s shoulders, but Kevin feels like a watchdog, on guard even when Mitch is supposedly protected.

The car finally arrives and Mitch scoots in first, sliding all the way to the far end of the back seat. Scott hovers awkwardly at the door for a moment before finally waving at Kevin and calling to him, “Tell everyone we said bye, okay?”

Kevin assures him that he will and waves back as Scott follows Mitch into the car. Kevin can’t even begin to understand their dynamic, but he knows Scott and Mitch separately and he knows them together, and he knows they’ve always been better together.

 

 _fin_.


End file.
